Gadget that transforms Citibikes into motorbikes

The popular rentable Citibikes sprung up last year in NYC as a bike-share program for the city’s inhabitants to enjoy. Biking around NYC can be totally awesome, especially if you feel like getting in a light workout while getting to your destination. Making your way through the bike lane is sometimes even faster than taking the subway. This portable electronic box, ShareRoller, is capable of transforming your commute, adding a little extra electric oomph to your ride.

ShareRoller takes the shape of a seven-pound briefcase, containing a brushless DC motor that supplies 750 W of power. The motor is crafted to attach onto the mounting bracket above the front wheel of the bike. A thumb throttle hooks onto the handlebars, allowing users to control the bike’s speed. The motor assembly enables a drive belt that transfers 1.0 hp to the bike’s tire. The bike can reach up to 18 mph, without any peddling from the user. For a safer ride, ShareRoller has 20 lumen LED frontal headlights.

There will be two battery options available for ShareRoller. The Li-NMC (lithium-nickel manganese cobalt) edition will deliver a 12-mile range, while the Li-NCA option (lithium-nickel cobalt aluminium oxide) element allowing travel up to 20 miles. While en route, users can charge their electronics by lugging them into the internal USB ports.

ShareRoller was started by native New Yorker Jeff Guida, who has chosen to fund his project via Kickstarter with $100,000 as the ultimate goal. With a $995 donation, contributors will receive their own first edition ShareRoller. The online fundraiser commences on February 28.